Jezebel (film)

Jezebel
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	William Wyler
Produced by	William Wyler Hal B. Wallis Henry Blanke
Screenplay by	Clements Ripley Abem Finkel John Huston Robert Buckner
Story by	Owen Davis, Sr.
Based on	The play by Owen Davis, Sr.
Starring	Bette Davis Henry Fonda George Brent
Music by	Max Steiner
Cinematography	Ernest Haller
Editing by	Warren Low
Distributed by	Warner Bros.
Release date(s)	March 10, 1938 (1938-03-10) (New York) March 26, 1938 (1938-03-26)
Running time	103 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English French
Budget	$1.25 million

Jezebel is a 1938 American romantic drama film directed by William Wyler and starring Bette Davis and Henry Fonda, supported by George Brent, Margaret Lindsay, Donald Crisp, Richard Cromwell, and Fay Bainter. The film was adapted by Clements Ripley, Abem Finkel, John Huston and Robert Buckner, from the play by Owen Davis, Sr.

The picture tells the story of a headstrong young Southern woman during the Antebellum period whose actions cost her the man she loves.

Plot

Spoiled, strong-willed New Orleans belle Julie Marsden (Bette Davis) is engaged to banker Preston 'Pres' Dillard (Henry Fonda). In retaliation for Pres refusing to drop his work and accompany her while she shops for a dress, she orders a brazen red one for the most important ball of the year, one where white dresses for unmarried women are expected. All of Julie's friends are shocked, but no one can convince her to give up her whim.

Fonda and Davis

At the Olympus ball, every woman on the floor is dressed in white. Pres and Julie's entrance is met with shock and disdain by all present. She finally realizes the magnitude of her social blunder and begs Pres to take her away, but by this time, he is implacable. He forces her to dance with him. All the other dancers leave the floor, finally leaving them alone. When the orchestra stops playing at the instruction of one of the ball's sponsors, Pres orders the conductor to continue. Pres and Julie finish the dance alone, with the assemblage looking on.

Afterward, Pres leaves Julie, implicitly breaking their engagement, and she slaps him in the face as a farewell. Aunt Belle Massey (Fay Bainter) urges her to go after Pres and beg his forgiveness, but she refuses, arrogantly confident that he will return to her. Instead, he goes north on business. Julie shuts herself up in her house and refuses to see visitors.

A year later, Pres finally returns, to help Dr. Livingstone (Donald Crisp) try to convince the city authorities to take measures intended to prevent an outbreak of yellow jack (yellow fever). Before Pres can stop her, Julie humbles herself and begs for his forgiveness and a return of his love. Then Pres introduces her to his wife Amy (Margaret Lindsay), whom he married while in the North.

Dismayed, Julie persuades an admirer, skilled duellist Buck Cantrell (George Brent), to quarrel with Pres, but the scheme goes awry. Pres's inexperienced brother Ted (Richard Cromwell) is the one who is goaded into challenging Buck. Ted emerges victorious; Buck is fatally shot.

As Dr. Livingstone had warned repeatedly, a deadly epidemic of yellow fever sweeps the city, as it had done numerous times before. Pres comes down with it and, like all other victims, is to be quarantined on an island. Amy prepares to go along to care for him, risking her own life, but Julie stops her. She tells the northerner that she does not know how to deal with the slaves and southerners on the island. She begs to go in her place as an act of redemption. Amy hesitates, fearing that Pres still loves Julie. Julie is forced to admit that Pres has love only for Amy, and Amy agrees that Julie may go.

Cast

• Bette Davis as Julie Marsden
• Henry Fonda as Preston "Pres" Dillard
• George Brent as Buck Cantrell
• Donald Crisp as Dr. Livingstone
• Fay Bainter as Aunt Belle Massey
• Margaret Lindsay as Amy Bradford Dillard
• Richard Cromwell as Ted Dillard
• Henry O'Neill as General Theopholus Bogardus
• Spring Byington as Mrs. Kendrick
• John Litel as Jean La Cour
• Gordon Oliver as Dick Allen
• Janet Shaw as Molly Allen
• Theresa Harris as Zette
• Margaret Early as Stephanie Kendrick
• Irving Pichel as Huger
• Eddie Anderson as Gros Bat

Background

The Turner Classic Movies Database states that the film was offered as compensation for Bette Davis after she failed to win the part of Scarlett O'Hara in Gone with the Wind. Despite a radio poll showing Bette Davis the audience favorite for the role, Selznick did not consider her suitable for it. It should be noted that this film marked the beginning of super stardom for actress Davis and her performance is extraordinarily effective in capturing the complex motives that drive her character's actions. The "Turner Classic Movies Database" reference is actually from a review by Tim Dirks.

Davis got the role of Jezebel 10 months before the part of Scarlett O'Hara was decided. More than 100 actresses auditioned for the Scarlett O'Hara role; over 30 hours of film were shot.

Many point out that Jezebel was released in 1938, whereas Gone with the Wind follows a year later. The productions of these films overlap. The film project of Gone With the Wind began when Selznick purchased the rights to the novel in 1936.

Awards

In 2009, it was selected for the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress for being “culturally, historically or aesthetically” significant and will be preserved for all time.

Wins

• Academy Award for Best Actress - Bette Davis
• Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress - Fay Bainter
• Venice Film Festival: Special Recommendation for its overall artistic contribution - William Wyler

Nominations

• Academy Award for Best Picture - Hal B. Wallis and Henry Blanke
• Academy Award for Best Cinematography - Ernest Haller
• Academy Award for Original Music Score - Max Steiner
• Venice Film Festival: Mussolini Cup for Best Film - William Wyler

Adaptations

The film was adapted into the March 30, 1946 episode of the 30-minute radio program Academy Award Theater, with Davis in the title role. Davis also reprised the role on the August 12, 1949 episode of Screen Director's Playhouse. On October 27, 1940 it was adapted to The Screen Guild Theater with Jean Arthur. On November 27, 1940 it was adapted to Lux Radio Theater with Loretta Young.

DVD commentary

In 2006, film historian Jeanine Basinger recorded a comprehensive scene-by-scene commentary as part of the re-issued DVD of the film. In her commentary about Davis, Basinger relates that this film is distinctive in the realm of women's pictures because of Orry-Kelly's brilliant costume designs for the actress. Basinger states that the viewer is compelled to watch Davis in four stylings in particular: the riding crop/outfit in the beginning of the film, the scandalous scarlet red dress at the Olympus Ball, the virginal white dress she wears when she attempts to woo back Henry Fonda, and finally the cape at the end of the film she dons when she must go to help care for Fonda. In Basinger's opinion, this was the performance at the height of Davis's career and that Jezebel is the quintessential American woman's film.

See also

• List of American films of 1938

References

• Dunning, John (1998). On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio. New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-507678-8. .

Footnotes

• Commentary by Jeanine Bassinger, Professor at University of Southern California and film historian.

External links

• Jezebel at the Internet Movie Database
• Jezebel at the TCM Movie Database
• Jezebel at AllRovi
• Jezebel review and information in cosmopolis.ch

Awards
Preceded by none	Academy Award winner for Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress	Succeeded by Gone with the Wind